


Crossing the Gap

by mousapelli



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Gen, Sibling Bonding
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-24
Updated: 2016-06-24
Packaged: 2018-07-17 22:53:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 862
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7289311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mousapelli/pseuds/mousapelli
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kei's awkward period is cute and hard to watch at the same time, especially since Akiteru knows it's at least partially his own fault.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Crossing the Gap

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt fill for 2016 SASO bonus round: prompt was the flashback of Akiteru teaching elementary school Kei to receive the ball.

Kei's awkward period is cute and hard to watch at the same time, especially since Akiteru knows it's at least partially his own fault. He still feels bad about the way Kei always tries to hide being really interested in things these days, and how they still can't really talk about volleyball when it used to the be thing that helped them reach across their reasonably large age gap. Maybe if he were home more often it would get easier, but it's just the way things are for now. 

At dinner, Kei pushes the food around on his plate, still a picky eater despite his age, glancing up at Akiteru every now and then as he and their mother chat about his new job and new apartment. 

"I'm going to do homework," Kei announces, standing up and putting his plate in the sink. He's got to be at least two centimeters taller than the last time Akiteru saw him. 

"Is he doing okay at Karasuno?" Akiteru asks his mother once Kei is trudging up the steps. "Do you think he's fitting in?"

"You could ask him yourself," their mother says. "You're brothers; you should be gossiping behind my back. It's not like he tells me much of anything."

"He won't even tell me why he's going to Karasuno," Akiteru chuckles ruefully. "But I'm glad he's got Yamaguchi-kun, and he's still playing volleyball."

"Do you think he'll keep playing?" Tsukishima-san purses her lips. "I wish he would, but honestly I think he only keeps at it because he's so tall that it's easy. Now that he's facing high school players…" She sighs, standing up to pick up both of their plates. "It wouldn't kill him to learn a little grit."

"I hope he doesn't quit," Akiteru says earnestly. "He always seems kind of lonely, doesn't he? A team where he feels like he fits in would be good."

"Sure," his mother says vaguely. Akiteru doesn't know if that's because she doesn't think Tsukishima will fit in or if it's a comment about Karasuno's team. 

He's in there somewhere, Akiteru knows, the sweet kid who looked up to his older brother enough to start playing volleyball and bragged to the other kids in his class about it. The kid who stood outside in the cold with Akiteru to practice receives even though he was frustrated and their mother was calling for them to come inside, just because he wanted Akiteru to be pleased with him. Akiteru wonders how long it will be before anybody else sees that Kei, the one who isn't afraid to try even though he might look stupid. 

He wonders if there's anybody on Kei's team, on any of the teams, who can draw that Kei back out again. Akiteru hopes so. 

He's pulling on his jacket to leave when Kei also appears in the genkan, flopping down on the step to tie his sneakers. 

"Going out?" Akiteru asks. 

"Yamaguchi's," Kei answers, barely looking up. "Math."

"I'll walk you," Akiteru announces. The walk isn't far, and it doesn't matter much whether Akiteru makes this train or the next one. Kei gives him half a dirty look, which Akiteru ignores before grumbling whatever. 

It's not quite dark yet, the days starting to lengthen, but still cold enough that Akiteru keeps his hands snug in his pockets. Akiteru asks Kei about school and his team and tries not to mind the one-word answers because it's better than nothing. 

"You could come over sometime, you know," Akiteru tells him when they turn the corner to Yamaguchi's street. Kei's only seen his apartment when he helped move Akiteru in. "You're welcome any time. You could even stay over, like a sleepover."

Kei opens his mouth, to refuse Akiteru assumes, but then his eyes cut to the side and he mumbles, "Maybe."

"You're welcome any time," Akiteru repeats, more than he expected for the moment. 

Yamaguchi is watching for Kei, pulling the door open as soon as they get on the step. He blinks in surprise at Akiteru, but says hi cheerfully enough. He's getting tall too, that kid, but he's still got those cute freckles and he seems to be growing his hair out a little. 

"Hi, Tadashi-kun," Akiteru tells him. "Going to grow a cool high school ponytail?"

"N-no!" Yamaguchi laughs, reaching up to push some of his hair out of his face. "That'd look pretty stupid, right, Tsukki?" Kei just snorts as he pushes his way past Yamaguchi. 

"Here's a pro tip," Akiteru says, lowering his voice so it sounds like a secret. "Girls think the palm tree is really cute, you know?" Yamaguchi splutters a second, and Akiteru suppresses a smile. "Hey, Tadashi-kun?"

"Hm?" Yamaguchi asks. 

"Thanks for taking care of Kei all this time," Akiteru says. "He's…well, thank you."

"Oh, yeah," Yamaguchi answers, looking a little helpless. But then he straightens up and gives Akiteru a surprisingly happy smile. "But Karasuno's got an interesting team, so I don't think I'll be alone anymore."

"That's really good to hear," Akiteru tells him honestly, and after that he can walk the rest of the way to the station with a light heart.


End file.
